Discharge seal for retorts



Mama 2%, 11923.

. H. H. RUSSELL DISCHARGE SEAL FOR RETOBTS Filed June 10, 1920 Patented 2Q,

DISCHARGE SEAL FOR RETORTS.

Application filed. June 10,

T 0 (4H whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, inner H. RUssnLL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Gauley Mills, lVebster County, West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Tmprovement in Discharge ideals for Retorts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

invention relates to improvements in seals for the discharge end of retorts, and I have used it practically as a seal for the carbonaceous or substantially solid matter in retorts in which the gaseous products are withdrawn in one direction, and the carbona-reous products discharged at another. In the destructive distillation of wood and other things, the material under treatment is heated in a retort and the gaseous products \vithd vn, while the charcoal or other more substantial products are discharged through another outlet. In such work it is essential to seal the retort so that no air shall enter it, because this would result in explosions, and moreover it would provide an escape for the gases. l/ 'v here th product to be discharged is charcoal, care has to be exercised in discharging the product so that it can cool gradually, or otherwise it would burst into flame when it came in contact with the air. My invention is intended to form asimple and effective seal through which the. carbonaceous or other products from a hot retort can be discharged in such a manner that the discharge may be continuous, it is positively sealed, and the hot products of discharge have a chance to cool gradually so as to be handled with safety. In carrying out this idea I arrange a plurality of rotary valves, preferably wing valves, in the discharge, so that a column of material will be held above the valves, and as it passes through them will also be arranged in a column between the two valves so that the column of charcoal or other material acts as a seal, the valves expel it in a way to prevent the escape of gases or the inflow of air, and the column of material is arranged between the spaced valves so that if any small quantity of air enters the first valve, it will be sealed by the column between it and the next valve, and moreover this outflowing material, particularly if it is charcoal, will absorb the air so that none of it can possibly reach the retort. All of which will be more 1920. Serial No. 387,896.

clearly understood from the description which follows.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved seal as applied to a rotary retort, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the seal.

By way of example, and not with the idea of restricting the seal to any particular form of apparatus, it is shown applied to the discharge end of a rotary retort 10, such as is used in the destructive distillation of wood or other materials. The retort and parts thereof form no part of this invention, but have shown it produced with a spider 11 at the discharge end through which the charcoal or other non-gaseous materials pass to the hollow stationary head 12. This has a shaft 13 extending through it which connects with the spider, and which also extends through the stufling box 14, the shaft being suitably mounted in a bracket 15. In the drawing the head is shown open at the top, but in practice this is closed, as this outlet can be used for drawing oif gases, or if not so used an be closed.

The charcoal or other dis harged material passes out through the chute 16 which is closed, and delivers into the valve casing 17 which is provided with esentially cylindrical portions 18 placed one above the other, and the casing is preferably formed with a supporting frame 19. The construction of the exterior of the casing is, however, immaterial. A somewhat restricted passage 18 is left between the members 18, and the casing discharges into a closed conveyor 20 through which the products are carried away and disposed of as required, this conveyor being shown in the pit 21, but the way the material is disposed of after leaving the casing is immaterial so far as this invention is concerned. In the parts 18 of the casing are rotary wing valves 22 and 23 which are spaced apart as shown, and which preferably have curved wings which fill the parts 18 of the casing. The particular form of valve shown is one which has been used in actual practice and Works perfectly, but obviously other forms of rotary valves having pockets to carry around the material, might be substituted without affecting the invention. These valves can be rotated in any convenient'way. I have shown them provided with shafts 241- and 25 respectively, which extend through the ends of the casing, and are provided with sprocket wheels 26 and 27 connecting by a chain 28 so that they will turn in unison, but any preferred means can be used for rotating the valves. In the example snown, the upper shaft 245' is provided with a bevel gear wheel 29 which meshes with a pinion 30 on a shaft 31 which can be supported in any convenient way, and as illustrated is driven by a sprocket wheel 32 con.- nected by a chain 83 with a sprocket wheel 34 on the shaft 13, but as above stated, the driving mechanism for the shaft is not important, and the particular mechanism shown is for the purpose of illustrating an operative arrangement.

It will be seen that as the material is dischargedfrom the retort 10, it will fill the chute 16 and valve casing 17 will be carried around by the valves 22 and 23, and that there will be a column of material filling the passage 18 between the two valves, so

that should any air pass through the lower valve, .it will be checked and absorbed by the column of material in the passage 18*, and consequently none can pass through to the retort; while on the other hand the material in the chute 16 and valve casing will prevent any gases from escaping in this way from the retort.

In the example given two valves 22 and 23 are shown, but obviously any desired number can be used and spaced apart as illustrated; but in practice I have found two suflicient for the purpose.

It will also be understood that this form of seal comprising the spaced valves, the valve casing, and the chute 16, can be connected with any retort which it is desired to seal, and from which hot or other products of combustion are passed in a way to exclude air. 1 r

I claim:-

' 1. A. discharger for retorts comprising a passageway for material being discharged, and rotary valves arranged one behind the other in the passageway so as to I control the passage ofmaterial therethrough,

therethrough, said valves'having space between them for the accumulation o-lf material the passageway between the valves bemg of such size inrelation to the valves as to cause the material in the passageway to fill the said space and seal the passageway.

3. A discharger for retorts comprising a closed discharge chute, and rotary spaced valves arranged one above the other below the chute and in the passageway therefrom, the valves being arranged so that the material under discharge can accumulate and fill the passageway between them'the passageway between the valves being of such size in relation to the valves as to cause the material'in the passageway to fill the said space and seal the passageway.

HARRY H. Rossetti.

Witnesses: I

KENNETE A. JAMES,

D. B. CAN Y. 

